


Sunset Lights On Golden Curls

by JCo_77



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Draco is a softie, Eventual Romance, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Umbridge is a bitch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-02-17 18:31:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13082817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCo_77/pseuds/JCo_77
Summary: The girl was absolutely beautiful. She had shoulder length curly blonde hair, tan skin, bright green eyes, and dark freckles dotting her nose and cheeks. Due to the sunset, her hair shone brightly, sparkling in the pale pink light. She passed by the boys and went to the only other occupied table in the room, her long robes grazing the floor as she walked. His friends went through the door and left the carriage, but Draco wasn't paying attention. He turned in his seat and watched her approach the table and sit next to the other girl, giving him a perfect view of her. Her friends greeted her quietly, the other girl giving her a sideways hug before dealing her a few cards. She pulled her curly hair into a low bun and began to play with them.-Title may change. First work in fandom, please leave comments with suggestions to let me know how I can approve!





	1. Chapter 1

There's not many things that could take Draco's breath away. His family was the most respected family in the wizarding world, and he got pretty much everything he wanted. Very, very little actually impressed him. 

He was finally into his 5th year at Hogwarts. For once, Draco was pleased that he would be returning to school. After the end of last year, his father had taking being a death eater extremely seriously. Voldemort would be moving into the house now, and he had several new family members moving in as well, like his aunt Bellatrix, who was crazy enough to have fear running through his veins every time he saw her. 

His father had become incredibly demanding of him, more so than usual. His expectations had grown, as he expected Draco to become a death eater like him. After this year, Draco would get the dark mark forever imprinted in his forearm. The mere idea of it had Draco on the brink of an anxiety attack. He didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps, but he had no other choice if he wanted to stay close to his family. Lucius had already threatened to kick him out of the house make sure his name was never accepted in society again if he disobeyed his wishes. 

So yes, Draco was glad to be away from the Malfoy Manner. 

The train to Hogwarts was incredibly dull. Even his best friends couldn't pull him out of his mood. There was simply too much going on in his life, and he felt far too stressed, and he hadn't even began his classes yet. The sun was beginning to set across the horizon, making the sky shine pink and yellow. Draco never really liked sunsets; he preferred when the night was dark. 

"Do you want to come with us, Draco?" Draco was pulled out of his thoughts, his head snapping up to look at his friends. 

"To where?" 

"We're gonna go get some treats from the trolley. If we find him, we'll annoy the piss out of Potter for a while. Would you like to join?" Crabbe asked again, an eyebrow raised in his direction. Draco shook his head. 

"No, I'm not hungry. If you spot Potter, ruin his day for me, yes?" His friends laughed, and he tried to laugh along. He usually got a kick out of annoying his nemesis, but he wasn't in the mood to handle his stupidity today. He watched his friends get up to leave the room. They usually sat in one of the smaller carriages, but they had gotten on late and couldn't find any open seats. So, they were forced to sit in one of the few train cars that were completely open, small booths lining each of the walls. Luckily it was mostly empty, except for one other booth, who had a boy and a girl sitting across from each other, playing a game of cards. 

Crabbe opened the carriage door o move to the other part of the train, but he paused. From where Draco was sitting, he couldn't see who was on the other side of the door, but he noticed how his friends' faces began to flush a light shade of pink as they stared. 

"Ooh, uh...excuse us," Goyle stuttered out, both boys moving to the side to allow the other person through. A girl stepped through, a polite smile on her lips. 

She took Draco's breath away. 

The girl was absolutely beautiful. She had shoulder length curly blonde hair, tan skin, bright green eyes, and dark freckles dotting her nose and cheeks. Due to the sunset, her hair shone brightly, sparkling in the pale pink light. She passed by the boys and went to the only other occupied table in the room, her long robes grazing the floor as she walked. His friends went through the door and left the carriage, but Draco wasn't paying attention. He turned in his seat and watched her approach the table and sit next to the other girl, giving him a perfect view of her. Her friends greeted her quietly, the other girl giving her a sideways hug before dealing her a few cards. She pulled her curly hair into a low bun and began to play with them. 

Draco was unaware that he was obviously staring at her. However, her friend noticed. The girl sitting next to her met his eyes, a perfectly shaped eyebrow raising back at him. Draco quickly turned back around, his heart pounding at the idea of being caught. Who was that girl? He had never once seen her around Hogwarts, but she seemed too old to be a first year. 

The carriage fell quiet, the only sounds coming from the train itself, and the sound of shuffling cards every so often. After a couple silent moments, the boy spoke. 

"So do you believe the rumors that You-Know-Who is back?" 

"I don't know. But if he is, at least that Potter boy will save us. I swear, he's always in the right place at the right time," one of the girls said. It sounded somewhat familiar, so he assumed that it was dark haired girl, since he had heard her speak earlier. 

"Hey, Harry isn't that bad of a person. Sure, he's not exactly the smartest in his year, but he's been through a lot." That was the other girl, the one Draco had seen enter the carriage. Her voice sounded lovely, cutting through the air easily. She had the kind of voice that cut through the air easily; one would always hear it in a crowd. It reminded Draco of a soothing mother's voice, one that could calm down anyone, but could also command an entire army. 

"Of course you only care about how smart he is. You really live up to the Ravenclaw stereotypes, Faith," the boy said. Faith. Draco thought that the name suited her perfectly. Apparently she was a Ravenclaw. So she was smart, as well as incredibly beautiful. 

At that moment, Crabbe and Goyle came back in the carriage, their arms filled with sweets. 

"Draco! We saw Potter; he's completely on edge today. You should've seen him." 

"He's so easy to annoy today. Along with those guardians of his." Draco chuckled, watching his friends sit down in their seats again. They began talking about about their encounter with him, but Draco wasn't listening. He turned to watch out the window again, watching the sunset, but this time, he thought of the colors shining off of Faith's golden hair. 

- 

Draco usually didn't care much for the first dinner at Hogwarts. The tables were filled with hundreds of different types of foods and drinks. Ghosts flew over the tables, greeting students of there respecting houses, scaring those who weren't used to seeing them. The first years had already been sorted, each house gaining a good hundred or so members. The new teachers were introduced, this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was an older woman, who wore much to pink for it to look nice. Dumbledore gave his speech, and now the students were left to eat, but Draco wasn't particularly hungry. He nibbled on a few different kinds of treats, half listening to his friends around him. 

As soon as they were allowed to leave, Draco stood and began making his way back to the dungeons so he could choose his bed and get settled for the night. However, as he  exited the Great Hall, her heard a twinkling laugh cut through the hundreds of talking students. He immediately snapped his head to the left, eyes scanning to find who the laugh belonged to. 

Of course, it belonged to Faith. She was standing between her friends, her head tilted back as she laughed. She had taken her hair out of the bun, her curls waving around her shoulders. It took Draco's breath away yet again. 

He took a deep breath and turned forward, heading back to the dungeons. However much he liked her, and however badly he wanted to talk to her, he knew that Faith would never even consider talking to him. Even if she didn't care about his families ridiculous fame, she would find him repulsive once she found out about what he was destined for, as would everyone else in the entire school. 

Draco decided then that he wouldn't think about her anymore. He didn't know her, and she certainly didn't know him. It wasn't worth the embarrassment. 


	2. Chapter 2

Leaves of blood red and pumpkin orange and sunlight yellow fluttered in the air, the breeze was light, making the warm day nice and cool. They were in the middle of a beautiful clearing, a clear blue pond sitting surrounded by fall trees. The green grass was barely visible under the leaves, leading Draco's way to the pond, where a girl in a long white gown sat on a large rock, her legs crossed as she stared out at the water. She heard Draco approaching and turned. 

It was Faith. Her beautiful curls were pulled in 2 braids, which were tied together in an elegant bun at the base of her skull. A few strands of curls framed her face; her freckles stood out against her tan skin, making her green eyes shine in the sunset light. She was wearing a beautiful gown, which was tight around her chest and stomach, with a flowing skirt, a thin silver glitter waistband lining her waist. She stood, her white heels standing out against the leaves. 

Draco slowly approached. He didn't notice that he was dressed in a fully black suit, with a blue vest and tie around his neck. He stopped when he stood in front of her. Faith was much shorter, her head barely coming up to his collarbones. Her delicate hands came up to adjust his tie. 

"You look so handsome, Draco," she said. He chuckled. 

"You're utterly beautiful," he whispered back, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She smiled. "I'm so in love with you. I can never thank you enough for agreeing to marry me." 

"It's my honor. You make me so happy." Faith wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up on her toes, her eyes closing slowly as they came together for a kiss. Just as Draco felt her lips against his, she was gone. The air turned cold. He opened his eyes, and found himself in the same clearing, only this time, it was the middle of the night, with snow covering every inch of the ground. 

Faith laid in the snow, her body curled into a ball. She wore jeans and a soft jacket, with no shoes. Her hands and toes were blue, and the snow around her was stained red with blood. Draco felt himself call out to her - he couldn't hear anything over the rush of blood in his ears - and he fell to his knees. His button up shirt and dress pants were tore in places and he could feel his own blood dripping down the side of his face. He dropped his wand in the snow next to him. 

He could see someone in black robes approach Faith's frozen body. He stood next to her, looking down at her before he looked up at Draco. 

"I told you this would happen, Draco," Voldemort said. Draco's body shook. "I told you if you married her, she would die. This girl has turned you against your family, against your destiny. She is nothing but a distraction, as well as your unborn daughter." Draco could feel his heart break even more. Faith was pregnant? "Now, back to your task at hand. Since you killed Potter for me, I need you to kill your father. He is considering breaking away. Shame, as he has been my most loyal follower." Voldemort leaned down next to Faith, taking something for her hand. He looked it over for a moment, then threw it towards Draco. It landed in the snow in front of him, and with shaky hands, he picked it up. It was Faith's wedding ring. 

"This is your destiny, Draco. Accept it." 

The wind began to blow even harder, biting at Draco's skin and tear stained face. His vision started to blur, until all he could see was Faith's bloody body in the snow. The world around him shook, and suddenly he was leaning over Faith, his own blood stained hands touching her cold body. He felt himself sob. 

"Faith, no," he heard himself plead, a hand running through her curls, stained red with blood. He leaned down, sobbing into her chest as the world spun again. He felt the cold on his skin, the blood dripping from his skin. He felt Faith's body under him, he felt the snow under his knees.

The cold grew warm, and he no longer felt he body. He sat up quickly and opened his eyes, the world spinning even more. Once it settled, he noticed that he wasn't in any sort of clearing. In fact, he was in his dorm room, body covered with his Slytherin green blankets. He panted and rubbed his face. What the hell was that about? Draco could still feel the panic in his chest. It felt as if he really witnessed his wife's death. But he was still only 15, and he hadn't even talked to Faith yet. 

Shaking, Draco laid back down, hoping he could get back to sleep. 

He couldn't. 

-

_Breakfast in Great Hall_

_Potions - Slytherin & Gryffindor_

_Muggle Studies - Slytherin & Hufflepuff_

_Year 5 Transfiguration - Slytherin & Ravenclaw_

_Lunch in Great Hall_

_Slytherin Study Hall_

_Year 5 Charms - Slytherin & Hufflepuff_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts - Slytherin & Ravenclaw _

_Dinner in Great Hall_

Draco glanced over his schedule yet again during breakfast with a grimace. He really didn't feel like spending the first portion of his morning with Gryffindors, but at least that was the only class he was going to have with them. Of course, schedules can change a few times a year, so he tried to not let it bother him too much. He neatly folded the paper and put it back in his pocket. 

"Wow, we have 2 classes with Ravenclaws today," Goyle mentioned, looking over his own copy of the schedule. 

"What's so special about that?" Draco asked, taking a bite of his buttered toast. 

"Dude, did you not see that Ravenclaw girl on the train last night? She really grew up over the summer." Crabbe cast a sideways glare at him. 

"She was hot last year as well. Now she just has bigger tits."

Draco raised a brow at them. "What the hell are you two talking about? What do you know about her?" He was defensive, trying to calm his racing heart. 

"Not a whole lot. Her name is Faith, and she's a pureblood. Rumors say that she has the highest grades in the entire school, and that's why Granger hates her," Crabbe said with a shrug, taking a bite of his pancakes. "Plus she's pretty hot." 

Draco glanced over at the Ravenclaw table. It took him a moment to find Faith, but soon his eyes fell on her. She was reading her schedule, unconsciously running her fingers through a few of her curls. She turned to her friend and pointed something out, and the girl laughed, nudging her. Faith laughed as well and looked up, her eyes immediately locking with Draco's. 

His breath caught in his throat and he choked on his drink, having to turn away to cough. When his fit finally stopped and he looked back up at her, she was lost in conversation. 

- 

It turns out that Faith really did know what she was doing when it came to magic. During transfiguration with McGonagall, she knew all of the answers, as was able to demonstrate how to transfigure some larger objects that most others struggled with. Every time Draco looked over at her, she was taking notes, not even looking at her paper as she wrote. At some point he could have sworn that her quill was moving on it's own as she followed the wand motion McGonagall was demonstrating with her own. 

Defense Against the Dark Arts was a completely different story. Draco usually excelled in this class, seeing as his family had strong ties to the dark lord himself. He was being taught attack spells since he was old enough to hold a wand. So naturally, Draco tried his best to impress Faith, and show her that he knew his magic as well. However, Umbridge didn't quite agree. 

Usually teachers would be delighted to have students raise their hands at every question, and know all the right answers. Umbridge was not a fan. She took his answers and constant hand raising as a sign of him being a smart ass, and trying to show off to his classmates. Eventually, she had enough. When Draco raised his hand an answer a question, she paused, her beady eyes staring into him. 

"Well, well, well, seems like Mr. Malfoy knows all the answers. Since you know so much, why don't we have a duel?" she asked extremely sweet, pulling her wand out of her pink skirt. Draco slowly lowered his hand. 

"I don't think that's wise professor." 

"Why not? Scared that you won't be able to show off when put to the real test?" 

He frowned. "No...I just don't think it's right to duel in the middle of class." 

"Are you disobeying orders?" 

"No, I-" 

"Don't talk back Mr. Malyfoy. Stand up." 

"Ma'am, I don't thi-" 

"Stand up right now Mr. Malfoy." 

Draco stared at her for a short moment before sighing and getting up. With a flick of her wrist, Umbridge pushed the rest of the desks up against the wall, leaving the whole room open for them. Draco pulled his wand out, hesitant to go through with this. 

Umbridge waited very patiently, her hands folded in front of her as she smiled at Draco. She wasn't moving. Was he supposed to attack first? He stood still for a few long moments, before he slowly raised his wand. He took a breath to cast a spell, but before he could even mutter a spell, Umbridge lifted her arm and cast a spell. It shot green sparks out, which flew through the air and struck him directly in his chest. 

Draco bit his tongue sharply as his breath caught in his throat. He closed his eyes from the pain; he didn't notice that he was lifted off the ground until his back was connecting with the bookshelf on the back wall. He fell to the ground, several heavy books falling on top of him as he spit blood, his vision slightly blurry. His chest burned, making it incredibly hard to breathe. He scratched at his throat, his skin turning a bright red color as pain flushed through his whole body. Very slowly, the pain started to subside, and he was soon able to breathe. He relaxed, slumping against the shelf. He could hear Umbridge make a pleased sound. 

"See, students? This is why you never doubt a teacher. We know much more than you. Class dismissed!" 

Students were hesitant to gather their things and start heading out of the classroom. Crabbe and Goyle approached Draco's slumped body, but Umbridge spoke before they could even ask if he was okay. 

"I said class dismissed, boys. I need to talk to Draco alone." 

They looked at each other hesitantly, then at Draco, but they ended up sighing and leaving as well. As soon as the class was cleared, her could hear Umbridge's pink heels clicking on the tile floors as she approached. 

"You're a disappointment to your family, Draco. Your father would have cast a protection spell and a counter course in the blink of an eye. But since you look like you've learned your lesson, I won't give you detention. Now get to dinner before I change my mind." She turned and went back to her office behind the classroom. 

Draco sat alone for a few long moments before he slowly stood, an arm around his ribs, which ached from the contact with the shelf. He groaned and limped out of the classroom, wiping his bloody mouth on his sleeve. The hallway was clear, as everyone was already in the Great Hall for dinner. Since he was alone, he didn't feel the need to hide how much pain he was in. He limped down the hallway slowly. 

"Are you okay?" 

The voice cut through the silence like a mother's soft voice, and Draco immediately knew who was coming up behind her. He turned, watching Faith approach with a concerned look on her face. 

"You hit the wall pretty hard, and you have blood dripping off of your chin. Are you alright?" Draco couldn't help but stare. She was actually talking to him. He tried to open his mouth to reply, but his mouth had filled with blood, it spilling out and covering the front of his robes. Great first impression, Malfoy. Great. 

But Faith didn't seem to mind. She stepped closer and put her delicate hands on his shoulders, guiding him to sit on a nearby bench. He stared at her as she pulled her wand out, holding it in front of his face. She muttered a soft spell and waved it in a slow circle around his body. She then cast another before putting her wand away. Draco looked down, noticing that his robes were now blood free, and his ribs and tongue no longer ached. He looked back up at her. 

"Thank you, that feels much better." She gave him a small smile and he heart skipped a beat. 

"You're welcome. She was being completely unfair to you. I thought it was impressive that you knew so much," she said with a shrug, holding her hand out. "My name is Faith, by the way. We're in the same year." 

Draco stood and shook her hand. "Draco. It's great to meet you." He tried to smile back at her now that his mouth wasn't filled with blood. They let go. 

"Well, it's great to meet you, Draco. I should get to dinner. See you tomorrow." She gave him a bright smile and turned, her curls bouncing as she headed to the Great Hall, leaving Draco completely alone in the hallway, his heart pounding in his chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to leave some comments and criticisms! 
> 
> Til next time!


	3. Chapter 3

It turns out that Draco hadn't been the only one to get on Umbridges' bad side. 

There were many stories floating around about students she had attacked during class, claiming they were all showing off. The most famous story going around was, of course, about Harry Potter. Just a few short weeks after Draco's own incident, she had brought up the Dark Lord as a topic in her class of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. When Potter said that Voldemort himself had returned, she had gotten furious, down right yelling at him in class, saying that he was telling lies. She gave him detention. The next day, students were buzzing with story that Potter now had 'I must not tell lies' etched into the back of his hand. He said that he had written the line many times, over and over again, with ink made from his own blood, until he had a distinct scrawl of his own handwriting in the back of his hand. It seemed as though Dumbledore had heard the stories, but he wasn't doing anything about her. All the other teachers hated her, and students found it hilarious when they made comments about her during their own lessons. 

No more than a month after the first encounter with her, McGonagall had made a comment that had the whole class laughing. They were simply practicing the transfiguration skills in front of the class. The students were meant to transfigure a large cabinet into something small, that symbolized happiness to them. When it was Faith's turn, she turned the cabinet into a single pink carnation, that reminded Draco of the sunset lights shining off of her hair that day on the train. McGonagall smiled, taking the flower to look it over. 

"Quite lovely, Faith. I suppose pink looks much better on flowers than it does on older ladies," she said simply, handing the flower back to her. The entire class erupted in laughter as Faith took her seat again. Draco watched as she gently stroked the petals, and he wondered why that was the item she chose to symbolize her happiness. He decided that he would try to ask. So after class, he waited until she left to follow her out. They hadn't spoken since that day a month ago, but Faith was kind enough to wave and smile over to Draco when they made eye contact. 

"That's a beautiful flower. I'm very impressed," he said, falling into step with her. She turned around, startled, but grinned when she saw Draco.

"Thank you, Draco," she said. He smiled. 

"How does it represent happiness?" he asked, extremely curious. Faith paused, her eyes looking distant for a moment. 

"It's a symbol of my family. When...When my mother was in the hospital, she asked the nurses to send me a bouquet of carnations when they told me that she had passed. Of course, my father had passed a few years before, so I held them tightly, and it always reminded me how much she loved me. I hold the memory very close to my heart." 

She had stopped at the open windows that led outside, deciding to sit on the concrete sill. Draco fell silent, and hesitantly sat next to her. 

"I'm...sorry." 

She shook her head. "Don't be. It's not anyone's fault. It took me a while to realize that..." she trailed off, looking out into the gardens thoughtful. Draco looked out as well. 

"How old were you?" 

"I was seven when my father passed, and nine when my mother joined. I didn't have any family that would take me in, so I was put into a foster home." At Draco's confused look, she continued. "Foster home is a term used in the muggle world. When a child is taken away from their parents, or their parents passed, and no one can take them, they are given to a family who takes them in and raises them as their own. Of course, I was from a magic family, and I kept being given to muggle families, so I had to be relocated several times due to freaking them out." She began to laugh, and Draco chuckled as well. It felt nice to connect with her. 

Very soon after, the boy o=from the train came running over, stopping a few yards from the window. He called out the Faith, and she smiled. 

"Well, it was very nice to talk to you, Draco. Hopefully we can talk again soon." She waved and hopped down from the window sill, jogging to catch up with her friend, Draco smiling after her. 

- 

Quidditch was a great way for Draco to relieve some stress and get his mind off things. He loved the feeling of the wind rushing through his hair, the weightlessness giving him a euphoric feeling. Of course, it was frustrating to have to face Potter, who was constantly on his tail and refused to give him any space, but it was stress relieving nonetheless. 

The stands were filled completely full, even the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw stands filled with cheering fans. The players were doing tricks on their brooms, making the noise grow with excitement. The sun was beginning to set, the sky pink and yellow as they raced across the field. 

Draco was hanging back above everyone else, keeping his eyes wide as he watched his teammates zip around. Every now and then a gold glint would catch his eyes, but it would be gone before he could chase after it. But he didn't feel so bad about it, since Potter was also hanging back, head turning rapidly as he tried to find the snitch before Draco could. It almost made him want to laugh; Potter seemed so stressed about finding the snitch, while Draco was relaxing, and they were both at the same level. 

By the time that the score was even 50 points to 50 points, Draco figured it was time to start finding the snitch. He began to slowly circle the outer edge of the field, eyes open for anything gold in the air. To his luck, he heard a slight buzzing in his ear, and a flash of gold zipped in front of him. He immediately leaned forward on his broom, flying as fast as a bullet after it. 

Of course, Potter was right on his heels as soon as he started the chase, the boys flying right next to each other. Every so often they would bump into each other, sending the other flying haywire for a few moments before he could get it under control. After a few long moments, they had both lost it, and slowed their speeds as they tried to find it again. 

"Might as well give up now," Harry laughed. "I'll knock you off your broom before you can find it!" 

Draco raised a brow at him, his signature smirk taking over. "Getting cocky, Potter? Cause as far as I remember, the last time you got cocky on the field, you fell off and nearly died. I would watch out if I were you," he called back, slowly looking over the open field. 

"Does that mean that you're worried, Malfoy?" He laughed. "I'm not scared of anything." 

Draco simply rolled his eyes, deciding to fly over the stands as he looked. It didn't take long before he saw it again, and he was taking off around the field. Harry was right after him soon after. They raced for several minutes, their arms extended as they tried to catch the small golden ball. It zipped back and forth over the stands, causing Draco's eyes to blur as he tried to keep it in sight. He blinked hard, and when he focused again, the shine of pink off of gold caught his eye. He looked down slightly, and time seemed to slow down as he spotted Faith, her smile growing as she looked up at him. 

He was so distracted by her, he didn't realize that Harry had actually pulled back. By the time he did, it was too late. A bludger came from his right side, connecting with his right elbow, knocking him off of his broom. He fell fast to the ground; a protective charm was cast to stop him from hitting the ground too hard. The pain in his arm was blinding as he gripped it to his chest tighter, moaning in pain as he tried not to cry. He heard gasps and screams, and the sound of people running towards him. 

Madame Hooch was suddenly at his side, cradling his head with one hand as they other lightly prodded at his arm. 

"Oh, oh, definitely broken. Help me get him to the hospital wing; this should be fixed by tomorrow morning." 

A few other people were speaking quickly, but Draco couldn't register what they were saying. He felt as though he was being lifted off of the ground, but that was all he remembered before he passed out from the pain. 

By the time Draco woke, it was the middle of the night, the moonlight shining through the windows. It was the only light in the entire hospital wing. He tried to sit up, his arm beginning to ache, but it didn't hurt nearly as bad as it had when it was first broken. He ran his fingers through his hair, looking around the empty wing. There wasn't another person in sight. 

His eyes quickly fell on his bedside table, where he assumed that his friends had left him a few boxes of candy. He didn't think much of it, but he had to do a double take when he noticed something else laying on his table. 

Draco grinned wide, his pale cheeks flushing dark as he took in what it could possibly mean. 

It was a single pink carnation. 


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter will be in Faith's point of view. 

- 

 

"Faith, please tell me you understood what Snape was talking about back there?" Connor whined, dramatically sliding his feet as he caught up with her. 

"Why do you assume I know?" she asked, trying to get her multiple pages of notes in order. Katie scoffed from her other side. 

"Maybe because you're so smart you make Granger look like an idiot. Your potion was the only one in the class that came out the right color and you know he's going to test us on it." 

"Good point. I took notes on everything he said and every step I took when brewing the potion. If you guys still can't figure it out from there then I'll be disappointed," she hummed, handing her four pages of notes over to Connor. He looked them over with a smile. 

"Thanks, Fay. You're the best. So, I never did ask what's going on between you and that Malfoy kid?" 

Faith raised a brow. "What do you mean? Nothing's going on. And his name is Draco." 

"The fact that you call him by his first name obviously shows that there's something going on," Katie joined in. Faith sighed and turned into the library, setting her books on the table so she could begin studying for her afternoon classes. Most Ravenclaws actually procrastinated very often, like Katie and Connor, but Faith preferred to get all of her work done and stay in the top of her class. 

"It's called being polite. I don't call you two by your last names." 

"We're brother and sister, Fay. That would be weird. And we're you're best friends." Faith rolled her eyes. 

"He's just being nice, you guys. I helped heal him after Umbridge freaked out on him and he said my magic was impressive, so we stopped and talked for a bit. I haven't even talked to him in the three weeks it's been since that day," she said with a shrug, pulling her curly hair out of her face so she could study. Most people adored her curls, but they were unruly and messy and she didn't personally like them, just like she didn't like her freckles or her height. The only thing she was really happy with about herself was her bright green eyes and her ease for picking up new subjects. 

"Do you think he's cute?" Katie asked, opening one of her books, although they all knew that she wasn't going to study. 

"I think he's cute," Connor mumbled from across the table. 

"Good thing I wasn't asking you," Katie shot back quickly. Conor made a face at her and she reciprocated. Faith chuckled. These two never seemed to get along for very long. The first time Faith met them in the common room back in first year, they had been arguing about the correct way to pronounce the word 'route'. It was still a sensitive subject four years later. 

"I suppose so," Faith responded, putting an end to their bickering. "But I'm not interested in dating. My schoolwork is more important. Besides, I don't even know him." The table fell silent for a few minutes, and she believed that she might actually get some work done. 

"You should invite him to Hogsmeade with us this weekend. We can get a few drinks at the Three Broomsticks and get to know him," Connor offered, and Katie excitedly nodded along. 

"Why do you guys want me to date him so bad?" Faith asked with a sigh. 

"Because we want what's best for you, Fay. I know you love your schoolwork but that's all you're ever focused on. And it's obvious that he likes you, so maybe he can help you live a little," Katie replied. Faith rolled her eyes again, but nodded. 

"Alright, fine. I'll ask him, but you two can't embarrass me." They both nodded, and high-fived over the table. Faith sighed again. This was going to be a long day. 

- 

Faith didn't actually get a chance to talk to him again until Saturday morning, when they were all leaving to go to Hogsmeade. She saw him leaning against the wall by himself, looking as if he was waiting for his friends to join him. Faith slowly distanced herself from her friends and came over to him. 

"Hi, Draco," she greeted with a warm smile. He jumped like she had scared him, but he smiled when he saw her, that familiar blush spreading across his cheeks that he got whenever they spoke. Faith thought it was cute. 

"Oh, hey. Are you going to Hogsmeade?" 

"Yeah, my friends and I are going, and we were wondering if you might like to join us? We always have a few drinks at the Three Broomsicks," she asked. Draco looked surprised at the offer, but nodded. 

"Um...Yes, yeah, I'd love to." She smiled. 

"Great. Well, come on, we're leaving." She skipped back over to her friends, who were pretending like they weren't staring. 

"Guys, this is Draco. Draco, this is Connor, and his twin sister Katie." They both gave an awkward wave. 

"Hello, Ma-Draco," Connor said, giving him a slight smile. To save herself from embarrassment at the hands of her best friends, Faith turned and ushered them all to follow her on the path to Hogsmeade. October was just beginning, the leave around them starting to change colors and fall to the ground around them. There was a slight breeze, barely cold enough to bite at their skin as they walked. Connor and Katie began to bicker about the leaves, and Faith was content with just listening and watching them. Faith was an only child, so she enjoyed seeing how siblings interacted. Even though they bickered and fought all the time, they were the best of friends, and they hardly ever left each others side. Katie said it just felt weird to be separated from her brother for too long. 

"Do they always fight like this?" Draco whispered, leaning over so they couldn't hear him. Faith chuckled. 

"Always in an understatement. If they shared a room I'm sure they would fight in their sleep," she answered back, and Draco laughed with her. They finally approached the beautiful little town of Hogsmeade. Faith enjoyed coming here on weekends; it was always so peaceful. They all entered the Three Broomsticks and sat at a table in the back, away from most of the other students. Faith and Draco sat to one side, while the twins sat on the other. Connor ordered them all a round of drinks. 

"So Draco, what do you plan to do once you graduate?" Connor asked, eyeing him suspiciously from over his butterbeer glass. Faith couldn't shake the feeling that this felt as though she was bringing her boyfriend home for dinner and her parents were interrogating him before giving their approval to date. 

"Um...I'm not quite sure yet. Probably work with my father, but I've been thinking about being an auror," he replied. Connor raised a brow. 

"Really? Faith has been thinking about that as well." 

"It is a popular job, Connor," Faith mumbled, taking a sip of her own drink. 

"With your family's power I'm sure you could easily land a Ministry job," Katie hummed. 

"I'm sure, but I don't want to use my family's influence to get anywhere in life, and I don't think I'm the kind of guy to be working in the Ministry anyway." Connor and Katie cast a sideways glance at each other. 

"Well I'm sure whatever you do, you'll be great at it," Faith offered, shooting a glare at her friends. 

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Katie asked bluntly before Draco could respond to Faith. His cheeks went pink again and he seemed to choke on air for a second. Faith's glare deepened. 

"Um, no, I do not." 

"Do you plan on having one?" 

"How do you plan on treating your future girlfriend?" Connor added quickly. Faith stood up. 

"Our glasses seem to be running low. I'll go get us some more. Draco, would yo-" 

"His glass is full Faith, he'll be fine," Connor interrupting, giving her a charming smile. Faith nodded and walked away, quickly sliding her thumb across her throat in a cutting motion once Draco couldn't see her. The twins chuckled and waited until she was gone before leaning in. 

"I need you to answer fast. Do you like Faith?" Connor asked, speaking quickly. 

"What? I-" 

"I saw you staring at her on the train, and you guys have been talking periodically ever since. We already know," Katie interrupted, also speaking incredibly fast. 

"I-" 

"Don't talk," Connor said, eyes narrowed seriously. "Listen. Faith is our best friend and we care about her a lot. She is far to focused on her school work, like insanely focused. She doesn't have a family to go home to, she stays with us on breaks. She's incredibly sweet and charming and beautiful; if I wasn't gay I would definitely date her. She's the best person we know and we want her to be happy. We know that you and your family have a lot of money, lot of magic, and a lot of connections. If anyone can get her head out of her books and show her the world, it's you. That being said, her schoolwork is still very important. Just show her how to live a little. Understood. Good." He and Katie sat back and simultaneously took the last sips of their drinks, just as Faith returned with more. 

"Thanks, Fay. You're the best," Katie grinned, taking hers. Faith stared at them, a tight smile on her face. 

"Anything for my best friends. What are we talking about?" 

"Oh, Connor was just telling me about what his parents do for a living," Draco answered before anyone else could talk. He felt incredibly flustered and slightly embarrassed, but he understood these people, and knew that they all had common ground: Faith. He wanted them to see that he could be what they expected of him. The twins gave him a small, knowing smile, then Connor launched into a story about his parents. 

A couple hours later, when the sun was beginning to set, they all decided it was time to go back. They walked and talked and laughed, the twins surprisingly not bickering for once. 

Someone had come through and raked all the leaves into large piles, in which small groups of students were already beginning to play in, throwing leaves everywhere. Of course, Connor couldn't help himself, and he jumped into an untouched pile. Laughing, Katie followed after him. Faith and Draco decided to stand back and watch. 

"I apologize for my friends. I hope they didn't threaten you too much," Faith said. 

"Don't worry about it. They're great people." They were silent for a moment. "They care a lot about you." 

"Trust me, I know," Faith chuckled. "They say I spend too much time with my head in my books. I guess they're right," she sighed. 

"There's nothing wrong with wanting good grades and being smart. But there's a lot of things to witness, and you don't want to miss out on great experiences because of school." 

"You sound like Katie," she laughed. 

"Katie is right." He paused. "You know, my family has a lot of connections in the magic world. If you ever want to...explore somewhere, I'd be happy to take you." He looked down at her, and she met his gaze, a slow smile taking over. 

"I would really love that, Draco, thank you. Maybe they were right, you are good for me," she hummed. Draco blushed again. 

It was dark by the time they made it back to the castle. They bid goodnight to Draco and went back to the common room, immediately getting ready for bed. 

"So what do you think of him now that you've sent a whole day with him," Katie asked, pulling back the covers to her bed. Faith sighed, shaking her curls out of the bun they were in. 

"I think you're right. He makes me laugh, and I feel happy when we spend time together. I think I like him," she said, giving Katie a smile. She smiled back. 

"I knew you would. I'm happy for you, Fay. You guys are gonna be good together." 

"We aren't dating, Katie." 

"No, not yet. But you will be. And you guys are gonna be happy." They both laughed as the lights were magically turned out and they crawled into bed. Faith reached to close her curtains, then paused. 

"...Thanks, Katie. I owe you guys," she whispered in the dark, before closing her curtain and laying down to sleep. 

 


	5. Chapter 5

After the Hogsmeade trip, Draco was invited to spend more time with they Ravenclaw group. They all sat together in the few classes they had together, and when they had free time, they would often go outside and sit in the courtyard and watch others, study, and talk about nonsense. Draco found that he truly enjoyed spending time with these people. They were carefree and genuinely kind, and Draco found that he felt as though he actually belonged in his group of friends. For once, he didn't feel worried about what he was going home to this summer. 

Things were going great for Draco, but unfortunately, not everyone agreed with his happiness. His friends in his own house noticed that he had begun to hang out with Ravenclaws, and were not pleased. Draco realized this when he was approached by an old friend before bed one night. 

"Draco, we need to talk," Pansy stated, coming up behind him with her arms crossed. He turned and raised a brow at her. 

"Okay? About what?" 

"Who's that little tramp and her followers that you always hang out with now?" Draco frowned. 

"Don't call her that. Her name is Faith and she's a sweetheart. You should try to talk to her, I'm sure you'd like her," he said, shuffling through his notes. Since gaining new friends, he had learned a bunch of different ways to take notes that would help him remember more information. His grades had improved a lot in the recent weeks. 

"She's in Ravenclaw. Why would I want to get to know her. She's not worth my time, and she's definitely not worth yours." 

"Pansy, that's incredibly ignorant. She's great," he insisted, getting angry. "She's the top of our class and she's one of the kindest people I've ever met. What makes you think that's she's not good enough for you?" 

"Really, Draco? We are way better than everyone else in this school! Goyle told me that you haven't spend time with him and Crabbe in 3 weeks. They're your best friends, and this girl is convincing you to ditch them. She's changing you!" she huffed. Draco rolled his eyes. 

"Yes, she's changing me for the better. I've been getting much better grades, and for once I'm not stressed about anything and I don't think about the dark lord moving in with me! I feel great. I'm happy," he scoffed, picking his things up. "I'm spending the afternoon with them. Don't talk to me until you can be a little more open-minded." He turned and left the common room, his books in his arms. How dare Pansy say those kind of things about his friends! They're all amazing and she just doesn't see it. 

Draco went out to the courtyard, walking past the several groups of friends sitting around until he reached the large tree by the other entrance. The only person who was sitting at the base of the tree was Faith, her pile of books at her feet. She looked up and smiled as he approached. 

"Hi Draco!" 

He grinned back at her. "Hey Faith. Where's the twins?" he asked, sitting down next to her. 

"They wanted to stay after class for a bit to make sure they got all their notes." Draco nodded and pulled out one of his books, leaning back against the tree, his shoulder pressing against Faith's. 

"How was class with Flitwick?" 

"The same as always. Nothing too exciting," she hummed. "Anything exciting happen to you?" 

Draco paused, thinking about his conversation with Pansy. "Not exciting, per say. A friend of mine and I got into an argument." 

Faith frowned. "About what?" 

"She believes that me hanging out with you guys is changing me. Which, it is, but it's for the better. My grades have improved and I'm not nearly as stressed and I don't think about my home life nearly as often. I'm much happier now, and she just doesn't understand," he sighed, laying back in the grass, looking up at the leaves above them. He hated arguing with his friends, but she had been ignorant and he couldn't stand it.

Faith was silent for a few minutes, and when Draco looked up at her, she was staring down at the closed book in her lap. "I don't want to be the reason you argue with your friends," she said quietly. Draco frowned. 

"Fay, you're my friend. You've helped me in the past few weeks, and they haven't. You mean a lot to me and I'm not going to let anyone else make fun of you," he said seriously, sitting up again so he could meet her gaze. He could see in her eyes that she was upset, but she gave him a sad smile. She placed her hand on his shoulder. 

"You're very kind, Draco." He smiled back at her, feeling his usual blush spreading across his cheeks. They fell silent, his gray eyes meeting her sparkling green ones. Her eyes were kind; they showed that she had witnessed true struggle in her life time, but she was still kind and made the most of every situation. The light in her eyes took Draco's breath away. He took the time to really look at her. Her nose and cheeks were covered in honey brown freckles, which made her eyes stand out even more. Her lips were plump and her nose was adorably proportionate to the rest of her face. 

Unknowingly, Draco was leaning in closer, his eyes slightly narrowed as he took the time to examine her beauty. He didn't notice, but Faith did. Her eyes widened slightly, a light blush darkening her cheeks. She leaned in closer as well, her own eyes traveling over his face. As if in slow motion, they were both leaning in, until they were only an inch or so apart, both staring at each other. Draco finally noticed what was happening, his cheeks flushing even darker. To his surprise, Faith giggled. 

"What are you laughing at?" he asked nervously, scared of what she might say. 

"You're embarrassed. It's cute," she whispered back, tilting her head to the side with a smile. Draco blushed darker, and she giggled again, her hand coming up from his shoulder, to his cheek. "There's no need to be embarrassed," she whispered, her smile fading into a thoughtful look as her thumb rubbed against his smooth skin. H gave a nervous laugh, feeling even more embarrassed than he did before. They continued to stare at each other, unsure of what to do. 

In the end, it was Faith who eventually ended their little staring contest. She gave Draco another small smile, and sat back against the base of the tree. "Your eyes are pretty," she commented, opening her book and pulling out her parchment to begin her charms essay. Draco sat still for a few long moments before his brain began to function, and he shook his head, grabbing his own books to begin studying. He sat back against the tree, trying to not focus on Faith's body touching his. 

They were going to kiss. They were so close, why didn't Draco take his chance? It wouldn't have taken much energy at all to lean in and press their lips together, but he didn't. And Faith didn't either. She had every opportunity Draco did to lean in, but instead she pulled away. Instead, she had said that his eyes were pretty. Before that, she had said that his blush was cute. That meant that she liked him, right? If anyone else had done thought, Draco would have been convinced that they liked him, but with Faith, he was so scared of being wrong. She was so kind and so calm; maybe she was just being polite, and didn't want to tell him that she didn't want to kiss him. But at the same time, perhaps she pulled away because she wanted to make sure that Draco was fully comfortable? 

Draco was pulled out of his thoughts by the twins loud arguing as they approached. He was glad to have the distraction. They plopped down in front of Faith and him, and the four of them easily fell into conversation, just like they always did. It was almost enough for Draco to forget about the event that just occurred. 

Almost. 


	6. Chapter 6

Days began to melt together in a happy blur. Draco was still shaken by their almost-kiss, but Faith seemed unphased, so he pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and tried his best to pretend as though none of it had happened. His classes were going great, his was getting good grades, and he sent his free time studying in the common room, or sitting outside with his friends. 

With Halloween just around the corner, the days grew colder, so the group decided to spend time in the library instead. It was quieter, and made it a lot easier for Faith to convince to twins to actually study for their winter finals. Things were incredibly peaceful. 

On the night of Halloween, they celebrated with a huge feast in the Great Hall, and then they decided to spend the evening outside again, curled up in blankets they had brought as they sat around a carved pumpkin, charmed to glow. They sat around talking for a while, just enjoying the atmosphere, until Katie turned to Draco with a mischievous smirk on her lips. 

“Hey Draco, you wanna hear a story?” she asked him. Draco frowned, glancing at the other two, who looked just as interested as him, and shrugged. 

“I suppose. What’s it about?” Katie sat up and smirked. 

“It’s about a friend of mine. He’s a great guy, huge heart. But he lived with this older guy. Like, in his sixties, old. This guy had a problem with one of his eyes; it was completely clouded over. You couldn’t even see the pupil or anything, just a huge cloud. My friend was nice to him and everything, but he had a huge problem with his eye. It just freaked him out, to the point where he couldn’t even stand to look at guy. It started to drive him absolutely crazy. So, he started sneaking into the guy’s room at night. He would stand in the doorway, staring at him while he slept.” 

Katie had started leaning towards Draco, who was started to shiver, but not from the cold. He didn’t like where this story was going. It was starting to creep him out, but he was eager to listen to more. 

“He did it every night for a week. He just stood in the doorway, staring at him for hours, night after night. If the older man knew about what he was doing, he never once mentioned it. Until one night. On the seventh night, my friend was standing in the doorway, flicking with his light, until the man suddenly opened his eyes, the light landing directly on his cloudy eye. He freaked out, and jumped on the man’s bed, grabbing a pillow and shoving it over the man’s face, holding it there until he suffocated.” 

Draco swallowed thickly, eyes wide. “What did he do then?” he asked, voice shaky. 

“Well, he couldn’t just leave the body to rot in the bed, could he? No, someone would find out. So, he carried the man to his bathroom, and laid him in the tub. From there, he carefully chopped up the man’s body, and placed the pieces under the floorboards of his house, where no one would ever find him again!” 

Draco shook. “That’s awful! How dare he, he needs to be caught. If he told you all of this, why didn’t you go to the muggle government or something!” he shouted, appalled. What threw him off completely was how Katie and Connor began to laugh. Faith tsked. 

“It’s just a story, Draco. None of it really happened. Besides, that’s not even how the story ends.” 

Katie just shrugged. “Well my version was better.” Draco looked between them, confused. 

“It was just a story?” 

“Yep. Written by a muggle author named Edgar Allen Poe. Have you ever heard of him?” Faith asked. Draco shook his head. 

“I haven’t.” Faith turned and began to look through her bag, a second later pulling out a thick book, with a black and brown cover. 

“Here. This is his complete work. It has everything he ever wrote in it. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” she hummed, handing it over. Draco gently took the book, turning it over in his hands. 

“Thank you. I’ll make sure I return it to you,” he said, and Faith smiled in return. 

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m freezing my arse off out here,” Connor said, beginning to stand. Katie followed suit, then Faith and Draco stood as well. 

“It is getting late. Goodnight, Draco. Enjoy your book!” Faith called, following her friends inside to their common room. Draco waved after her, then began the way to his own room, turning over the pages of the thick book in his hands.

-

Just as every other morning, owls flew in the open window at the top of the Great Hall to drop off mail. They flew in circles gracefully before gradually flying down above the tables, dropping whatever letter or package they carried to their owner before flying off again. Draco was too engrossed in the book Faith had gifted him with to take notice, until a crisp white envelope fell on his empty plate before him. His eyes immediately drifted from the page, frowning at the letter. He rarely ever received mail. He placed the paper bookmark in his book to mark his page before setting it down and picking up the letter. Draco could immediately recognize the familiar writing on the front, and as he glanced to the back, he found the Malfoy crest holding the flap closed. 

It was a letter from his father. 

“Something big going on at the Malfoy house?” he heard Crabbe ask from across the table. It was extremely unusual for Draco to receive a letter from his father. It only occurred when something big was going on. 

“I don’t really know. Must be,” he replied, his heart pounding in his chest. Some part of him knew what this was about, but he hoped it was false. He turned the letter open with nimble fingers, slowly unfolding the envelope and pulling out the parchment inside. Draco took a deep breath and opened it.

 

_ Draco, _

_ I am very pleased to inform you that the Dark Lord has chosen this time to move into the Malfoy Manor. Upon his request, we will be closing off your room, as he has chosen it as his own personal quarters. I suggest you stay home for the holidays, as we will be preparing for the plans he has in store for us.  _

_ Tell no one.  _

_ Lucius Malfoy _

Draco was shaking by the time he was finished reading, his breath coming out shallow and his heart pounding heavily. Not only has his worst nightmare come true, but the Dark Lord himself would be taking over Draco’s home bedroom. He wasn’t allowed home for the holidays either. Did his father have any shame? How could he do this? 

“Malfoy, you alright?” Goyle asked, brows furrowed in confusion. Draco didn’t respond, his fight or flight reflex screaming at him to find the nearest exit and run. He quickly glanced around the room, looking for something to calm himself down, or someone he hated enough to take his anger out on. 

It only took a second before his eyes fell on Faith. Her hair was wild around her shoulders, a huge grin on her face as she laughed along with her friends. Draco could suddenly hear her giggle, the twinkling sound resonating in his ears, reminding him how much he loved her laugh. His heart swelled. She was so pure, and deserved so much in the world. His heart suddenly sank. She was so pure, and deserved so much…. Faith did not deserve to be around death eaters like Draco. He and his family were dangerous, he would eventually end up hurting her. Oh Merlin, she was going to be so upset when she found out. She would probably never talk to Draco again once she heard the news. Draco was going to lose her. 

Finally, his flight reflex kicked in and he stood, the letter now crumpled in his clenched fist. He could barely hear the sound of his friends calling out to him, asking him if he was alright, as he turned and ran out of the room as fast as he could without looking completely suspicious. As soon as he hit the hallway, he began running. He didn’t know where he was going; he only knew that he must get away as fast as he could. 

His running led him outside, to the outskirts of the grounds, close to where Hagrid’s hut was. Draco was never fond of the man, especially since his pet had attacked him back in third year, but he would much rather be around the giant than anyone else. 

He fell to his knees under a large oak tree just barely inside the Forbidden Forest. It was only then that Draco realized he was crying. Sobbing, even. How dare his father treat him this way? Draco was just a boy, not even fifteen yet, and he had to house the Dark Lord, in his own bedroom. It wasn’t fair. His aunt and several other death eaters had already moved in; his house would reek of death and the halls would echo with the screams of the tortured once he returned home. 

Draco didn’t know how long he laid in the dirty grass, curled into a ball as he sobbed. It was Saturday, so he wasn’t missing any classes. A part of him wondered if anyone was going to come and find him, or if everyone would just go about their days, not paying any mind to the horrors that were going on in Draco’s life. 

After what felt like hours upon hours, Draco could hear the distant sound of voices. His only thought was that he should move so they didn’t see him, but as they grew closer, he began to notice what they were saying: 

“Fay, slow down! I’m sure he’s fine!” 

“Katie, I’ve never once seen Draco look like that before. He looked absolutely horrified by something. I need to see if he’s okay.” 

“I’m sure he’s in the castle somewhere.” 

“Then go back and find him, Connor. We’ve spent the last 2 hours in the castle looking for him, he has to be outside somewhere. It’s going to rain, I need to get him inside.” 

“Fine, Connor and I will go over there and try to find him. You ask Hagrid if he’s had sight of him.” 

Draco could hear people running away, now only one set of footsteps coming towards him, shoes breaking sticks and crunching leaves as they moved in front of the trees. His heart swelled, and he decided to stay where he was at. Someone - not only someone, but  _ Faith _ \- had come in search for him. In a haste, he wiped his eyes with his hands, smearing dirt across his skin, but it didn’t get rid of his red, watery eyes and tear tracks on his cheeks. 

It was only a few moments before Draco heard Faith yell, “Draco? Draco!” and then her footsteps became harder in the ground as she ran over to where he was sitting. She knelt down beside him, worry in her eyes as she took in his grimy and obviously upset state. She tsked softly. 

“Oh Draco, what happened?” Her voice was incredibly soft and kind, and it reminded Draco of his mother when he had fallen and hurt himself as a child. 

He shook his head, trying to sit up, although Faith placed a warm hand on his shoulder and had him lean back against the tree. “I’m fine, Faith.” 

“Don’t lie to me Draco. I saw you run out of the castle. It looked as if you had received terrible news. Now you’re dirty and laying on the ground, you’ve been crying, this is so unlike you.” Faith pulled a small blue handkerchief out of her skirt pocket and took Draco’s chin in her hand, gently beginning to wipe at the dirt. “If you don’t want to talk, then don’t. Just know that I’m here for you, for whenever you need me.” 

Draco nodded silently, relaxing against Faiths touch as she wiped dirt and tears away from his skin. Her hands were warm and soft, and the look in her eyes were focused and concerned. Draco couldn’t help but find her extremely beautiful in this moment. 

They sat like that for a while, Faith’s gentle fingers holding his chin and wiping his face clean. Eventually, there was no more dirt, and Draco realized that she was just wiping the silk over his cold skin, calming him down. 

Thunder rumbled in the distance, sounding like a truck with a broken engine. Then the sky lit up with a loud crack of lightning, and rain started to pour down upon them. Even through the thick brush of trees above hem, the couple was soaked in just a few seconds. They both looked up at the sky, and then back to each other, erupting into soft laughter. Draco felt so at ease in that moment, sitting in the mud with the girl he liked, both of them soaked through their clothes with rain. 

They met each other’s gaze, their giggles falling into silence. Faith slowly put the handkerchief in her lap, and lifted her hand again, slowly smoothing his soaking hair out of his face. The hand on his chin moved up to cup his cheek, her thumb slowly tracing his prominent cheekbone. Draco gave her a small smile, one of his hands coming up to gently tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. He let his fingers trail through the soft locks. 

The next moment happened in a blur, and it was hard for Draco to tell what was happening until it had happened. One of them - he couldn’t tell which - started to lean in close. When Faith was close enough that he could feel her breath on his skin, he closed his eyes, and the next thing he knew, Faith’s soft lips were pressing against his own softly. 

Her lips were perfectly plump against his own thinner ones, and Draco couldn’t help but think that nothing had ever felt more right. Faith’s hands came down to cup his cheeks, while one of his tangled in her hair, the other around her waist, pulling her closer to his chest. 

The kiss only lasted a few moments before they pulled away, slowly opening their eyes to stare at each other. The both chuckled softly, eyes shifting between each other’s eyes, and their lips. Draco wanted to lean in again and kiss her once more, but the sound of a deep voice stopped him. 

“Hey, you two will freeze to death out here! Get inside,” Hagrid yelled out to him, his own big umbrella shielding him from the rain. Faith turned and waved towards him. 

“We will! Thank you, Hagrid!” The man waved back, and they both watched him disappear back into his hut, his huge dog at his feet. They turned back towards each other, but Faith only sighed happily and pulled herself to her feet, holding her hand out to help him up. He accepted it, and then they were walking hand in hand back to the castle. 

Another crack of thunder struck across the sky, and suddenly they were laughing and running, their feet kicking up puddles of mud as they went. Everyone looked at them like they were crazy as they entered the castle again, soaking in water and mud. They slowed to a walk, and Draco began walking her back to her common room. 

“So, what did have you so upset?” Faith eventually asked, pulling her dripping hair into a ponytail. Draco just shrugged. 

“Family matters. Nothing very important.” Faith just nodded, feeling that Draco still didn’t want to talk about it. They came to a stop in front of the Ravenclaw portrait, who was asleep, and turned towards each other. 

Neither one of them felt the need to stay anything as they looked at each other, smiles growing on their faces. Faith blushed a light shade of pink, and stepped closer, getting up on the tips of her toes to press their lips together again. Draco sighed against her mouth, slowly deepening the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her thin waist. Faith kissed back just as passionately, her own arms wrapping around his shoulders, keeping him close. 

They were so engrossed in themselves, that they didn’t hear the portrait swinging open, and two students stepping out into the hallway. They stared at the couple for a moment, both of their jaws dropped. 

“Oh. My. God,” one of them spoke, making the couple jump away from each other, blushing furiously. 

“I totally knew that was going to happen,” Connor said proudly after a moment. 

“For once, dear brother, I agree with you,” Katie responded, before both of them turned and walked straight back into the portrait. Faith and Draco turned to each, the latter embarrassed while Faith snickered. 

“Goodnight, Draco,” she said, stepping in to press a kiss on his cheek before she as well stepped into the common room, the portrait falling closed behind her. Draco stood there for a long moment, before a large grin broke out on his face, and he began the long walk to his own common room.  

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first writing in this fandom. Please leave some comments to let me know how I'm doing! I always appreciate suggestions and criticisms. 
> 
> Til next time!


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